Augmented reality (AR) devices such as head-up displays (HUDs) burst into our lives, especially in the automotive industry. AR HUDs should display 3D images within a wide field of view (FoV) to bring in full immersion. However, HUDs with a wide FoV built on conventional mirror-based architecture occupy significant dashboard space and cause overheating of the display. These factors limit the integration of such wide FoV HUDs into vehicles. Instead, we propose AR HUD with a wide FoV based on a thin waveguide. A key feature of our display is the ability to deliver 3D virtual images while maintaining a small system volume. Our approach to combining both benefits is based on integrating novel units into a pupil-replication waveguide. First, a multi-view picture generation unit (MV-PGU) creates autostereoscopic 3D content within the same FoV. Then, the content is transmitted through the waveguide in a conventional pupil replication manner. Finally, a thin optical module, which we call the multi-view eyebox formation unit (MV-EFU), separates the images for the corresponding views based on the distinctive parameters. Moreover, we investigate the possibility to extend FoV by choosing the optimal parameters of the invented units. We validate our concept by raytracing simulation of a developed full-color display with an FoV of 20° × 7°. Additionally, we assemble a prototype with reduced display specifications to verify the approach experimentally.
People with visual impairments rarely use augmented reality displays without prescription optics. This fact makes using AR devices limited. In this paper, we demonstrated a customized AR display design that considers the user’s prescription and improves visual comfort in case of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia. AR display has a waveguide-based architecture with embedded reflective combiner for virtual image transferring. Both, waveguide substrate and reflective combiner are designed with standard type surfaces (sphere/aspheric). That makes this design convenient for mass production and adoption in society. The proposed design has field of view 42.75° degrees diagonally and thickness less than 6 mm.
The purpose of the study is development of the wide field of view waveguide-based augmented reality system. For solving the issue, we examined the influence of curving and wedging of the waveguide on the field of view in augmented reality systems. We applied the known Q_U ray tracing method for calculation of the field of view in shaped waveguide-based systems and examined the image transferring through such systems. We found that shaped waveguide can transfer significantly wider field of view than planar waveguide. However, the image redirection can not be performed by standard techniques for light coupling. Consequently, we propose the 73° field of view waveguide-based system that consist of pico-projector, as image source, shaped waveguide for image transferring and holographic combiner for beams redirection to the eye pupil. The system represent a compact solution with wide field of view for integration in augmented reality devices.
Authors propose approach for elimination of the aberrations and enlarging of the eye-box in the augmented reality (AR) wearable devices, based on point-to-point holographic optical element (HOE) lens combiner. This approach is based on the double-pass light propagation through the HOE. The compact design and experimental results are presented. Proposed approach allows archiving balance between compactness and virtual image parameters in AR glasses.
The novel design for the compact augmented reality (AR) glasses that utilize holographic optical element (HOE) as a combiner is presented. The wide field of view (FoV) that is larger than 90°, full color and high contrast ratio (CR) are achieved based on the single layer HOE, which has the thickness of 25 μm. In order to implement compactness of AR glasses using HOE combiner, the combination of optical lenses is proposed. In this design, a chromatic aberration and astigmatism, which are caused by highly off-axis projection of the image onto HOE, and the precise wavefront reproduction that maximize the efficiency of the HOE are taken into account simultaneously. The geometrical image distortion is corrected by implementation of image pre-distortion algorithm. The interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment is applied to compensate small eye box. Based on the design, wearable prototype is introduced. Through the experiments both on benchtop and prototype, at the distance of 2 m, large image with diagonal of 150 inches is displayed.
Nowadays, the main directions of augmented reality (AR) glasses development are: increasing of field of view (FoV) and eye-motion box; reducing weight of AR glasses; solving vergence-accomodation conflict. All these requirements should be obtained and combined with high image quality and decreasing dimensions of AR Glasses. We propose the optical system of AR glasses based on Schmidt Camera scheme for achievement of wide FoV and eye-motion box, and with using of Super Multi-View (SMV) technique for providing multifocal system. Provided optical design has huge benefits: eye motion box about 10 mm and field of view 60° and represents lightweight, eye fatigue free solution with low aberrations. Finally, our system has high opportunities for further modifications and improvements by using different image sources and projection system.
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